Award Document Grouping – Infanterie-Regiment 485 – 263. Infanterie-Division

Outstanding original Wehrmacht document grouping belonging to Unteroffizier Johann Marx, 6. Kompanie/ Infanterie-Regiment 485 of the 263. Infanterie-Division. The grouping follows Marx’s wartime service through his decorations, a serious combat wound, correspondence with his wife, and even includes an original campaign map showing the advance and fighting of the 263. Infanterie-Division during the 1940 Western Campaign.

The earliest award document in the group is the Besitzzeugnis for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, awarded to Unteroffizier Johann Marx, 6./Infanterie-Regiment 485, dated 30 November 1941, “Im Felde.” The certificate bears the official divisional stamp of the 263. Infanterie-Division and the signature of Generalmajor Ernst Häckel. The 263. Infanterie-Division was already fighting on the Eastern Front in 1941, advancing through the central sector toward the Moscow area.

Also included is an original letter dated 9 December 1941, addressed to Frau Susanne Marx, informing her that the company was forwarding her husband’s newly awarded Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, together with the accompanying award certificate. The letter is signed by a Hauptfeldwebel and provides an excellent personal connection to the grouping, documenting the communication between Marx’s frontline unit and his wife at home.

A further Besitzzeugnis for the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen records the award to Unteroffizier Johann Marx, 6./J.R. 485. The certificate is signed by an Oberstleutnant und Regimentskommandeur, with the divisional stamp, and represents another important combat decoration from Marx’s service with the regiment.

Particularly significant is the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, awarded to Unteroffizier Johann Marx, 6. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 485, “Im Felde,” 15 October 1943. The certificate is signed by Generalleutnant Werner Richter, Kommandeur der 263. Infanterie-Division. Richter commanded the 263. Infanterie-Division from April 1943 until he was severely wounded in May 1944, making this an especially interesting original, hand-signed divisional award document.

The grouping also contains the Besitzzeugnis for the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz, awarded following a wound suffered on 17 October 1943. The document is dated 20 November 1943 and records the injury as a malige Verwundung-Beschädigung. It was issued at Stassfurt and signed by an Oberstabsarzt und Chefarzt, providing direct documentation of Marx’s combat wounding shortly after his October 1943 EK I award.

Of exceptional personal interest is the accompanying original wartime letter to Frau Susanne Marx, dated 18 May 1942, informing her that her husband had been awarded the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen and that the accompanying award document was being forwarded to her. This adds another layer of provenance to the grouping and demonstrates that the documents were retained by Marx’s family rather than being subsequently assembled from unrelated sources.

The grouping is further enhanced by an original “Vormarsch u. Kämpfe unserer Division” map, illustrating the movements and fighting of the 263. Infanterie-Division during the 1940 Western Campaign. The map traces the division’s advance through Belgium and France, with locations including Givet, St. Quentin, Laon, Reims, Paris, Orléans, Tours and the Loire, and includes dated movement markings. The 263. Infanterie-Division took part in the Western Campaign in 1940 before remaining in France as an occupation formation until its transfer east in 1941.

Finally, the group contains a post-war medical certificate dated 24 November 1949, issued by Dr. med. Holler in Koblenz-Horchheim. This document records that Johann Marx had been under treatment from December 1943 until August 1944 in the Reserve-Lazarett Saaffig, including treatment for serious injuries sustained during his military service. Together with the wartime Verwundetenabzeichen document, it provides an unusually complete documentary trail concerning the consequences of his 1943 wounding.

Condition: The documents are in original, well-used wartime condition, showing folds, creasing, age toning, foxing, staining and handling/storage wear. Some documents have more pronounced edge wear and tears, consistent with their wartime use and subsequent preservation. The map likewise shows folds and age-related wear. The majority of the important text, stamps and signatures remain clearly legible.

A superb and highly coherent Wehrmacht document grouping, combining multiple original award certificates, frontline correspondence, a documented combat wound, an original 1940 campaign map and post-war medical documentation. The connection to the 263. Infanterie-Division and Infanterie-Regiment 485 makes this a particularly attractive grouping for collectors of named Eastern Front material and divisional documentation.